Dec 29, 2015

An "equality" flag waves against the sky as crowds gathered in front of the Supreme Court on April 28, as justices heard arguments about same-sex marriage. (RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks)

(BAPTIST STANDARD)—The Supreme Court ruling that prompted the White House to light up like a giant rainbow made the top slot in the Religion Newswriters Association's annual ranking of the 10 most important religion news stories of the year.

Same-sex marriage legalized

In late June, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges to make same-sex marriage the law of the land. Members of the Religion Newswriters Association, an organization of professional journalists who cover religion, named it the most important religion news story of the year....

"The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision will have repercussions in the religious world for years to come, so it's fitting that journalists ranked it the No. 1 story," said Debra L. Mason, executive director of Religion Newswriters Foundation and director of the Center on Religion & the Professions at the University of Missouri School of Journalism....

The Religion Newswriters Association conducted its survey among its 480 members, mostly journalists working in the United States.